Australia have ended their tour of the West Indies on the perfect note, with a three-wicket win in the fifth and final T20I completing a perfect 8-0 sweep of matches in the Caribbean.
After claiming the Frank Worrell Trophy 3-0 earlier in the month and racing to a 4-0 series lead in the T20Is, the visitors didn’t have it all their own way in St Kitts, but another powerful batting performance proved too much for the Calypso Kings, with a run chase of 171 wrapped up with 18 balls to spare, albeit with only three wickets in hand.
The triumph secures Australia’s first ever 5-0 T20I series win, and even more pleasing is the stability of a batting line-up that looks in good shape heading into next year’s T20 World Cup – and considerably more impressive than the Test team’s brittle top order.
Tim David (30 off 12 balls), Mitch Owen (37 off 17) and Cameron Green (32 off 18) all showcased their incredible power in the middle order, with David hitting four sixes and Owen three, to help make light work of a target that looked underwhelming considering the hefty scores set in two previous matches in Basseterre, St Kitts.
While wickets tumbled throughout and no one reached 40, all-rounder Aaron Hardie calmly steered Australia home at the end, smacking Romario Shepherd down the ground for the winning runs.
However, the most impressive contributions came with the ball, with Ben Dwarshuis claiming man of the match honours for his 3/41, including the scalps of both openers Shai Hope (9) and Brandon King (11) in his first two overs to leave the Windies on the back foot early.
While a half-century from Shimron Hetmyer (52 off 31) and a cameo from Sherfane Rutherford (35 off 17) saw the hosts recover to post a competitive total which looked defendable when Australia slumped to 3/25, they were simply unable to keep the run rate down on the small St Kitts ground, with David and Owen in particular clearing the boundary almost at will.
Green, who finished the series as the leading run-scorer with 205 at a strike rate of 164, was named player of the series to end a tour that began roughly in the first Test but improved drastically.
His position in the middle order for next year’s T20 World Cup now looks secure, with captain Mitchell Marsh and the returning Travis Head set to open and a middle order featuring Josh Inglis, Green, Maxwell, David and Owen.
Despite the absence of pace trio Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and star batter Head, Australia became the first team to beat another ICC full member 5-0 in a T20I series.
Australia made a shaky start, losing four wickets inside the first five overs despite Marsh (14 off eight balls) striking three boundaries in the first over, and an explosive cameo from David.
Green and Owen wrested back the initiative, blasting 63 in less than five overs, taking 22 runs off the eighth over and another 21 in the ninth.
Owen, the emerging star of last summer’s domestic BBL competition, clouted three fours and as many sixes before edging to short third, ending his third significant score in four innings in his first international series.
Adam Zampa (1-20 off three) marked his 100th T20I by bowling Alzarri Joseph in the 19th over, and Nathan Ellis (2-32 off 3.4) picked up his 200th T20I wicket.
(with AAP)